Cowboy Western Tip of the Day

What kind of horse does Tonto have?

Actually, Tonto has had more than one horse. Originally, he had 'White Feller' on the radio program. However, when the first Lone Ranger serial was begun, having two visually similar horses was confusing. They switched Tonto to a new horse, and the radio show followed suit.

The need for a visually different horse results in Tonto getting Scout, although the serials would call him 'White Feller' at first. In story there are various reasons (call them 'reboots') including that Tonto had Scout before the ambush of the Rangers.

Scout is a lovely horse - but what kind of horse? Is he a paint, a piebald, a pinto, or something else?

Breyer, the toy company, says he is a Paint. The Lone Ranger Wiki says he is both a pinto and a paint.

Well, let's back up - what is Silver? Silver is a semi-feral mustang. The Lone Ranger originally rode 'Dusty', who was killed in action. The Ranger than earns Silver's friendship, and has to train him.

Scout may be of the same herd.

What is a mustang then? Mustangs are free roaming horses that are descendants of once tame horses brought by the Spaniards centuries before. Lots of horse breeds have contributed DNA to these feral horses.

Why is Scout called a Pinto or a Paint?

Horses with these two-color coats are commonly called Paints or Pintos, because they are considered color breeds, not genetic breeds.

But there is confusion even there.

A pinto horse is just a color. It can be of any breed. A paint, however, can be governed in modern times by the American Paint Horse Association, and must be either a thoroughbred or a quarter horse. To the APHA, every paint is a pinto, but not every pinto a paint.

It gets a little tricky. From what I've read, Pinto horses were sometimes discriminated against in competitions. This led to competitions for only those horses, and hence the desire to say who is and who isn't allowed in.

Yet all that is modern. Its like a scientist saying the American Buffalo is a bison, but that doesn't go backwards - Buffalo Bill is still *Buffalo* Bill, not Bison Bill.

When a Western rider says "Paint", they don't care about the horses genetics.

The phrase "Indian paint" conjures up some western romanticism. Cowboys loved paints. Native Americans might also actually paint horses decoratively. Those too might be called paints.

So once again, what is Scout?

He is obviously a Pinto, but is he a Paint? By the modern rules, I would say no, but this is Tonto. He predates the modern rules, so its a Yes to me.

I think Scout is a Pinto or Paint mustang, from the same herd as Silver.

Most of all, Scout is part of the team. The Ranger and Tonto are friends, and also friends to the horses, and the horses seem to be friends to one another.

Together they lead the fight for law and order in the early West.